Musician Raises Money For Cancer

East Tennessee musician Ronnie Raper is raising money and awareness of pancreatic cancer through his love of bluegrass. Raper is from McMinn County and helps organize the 2nd Annual Cotton Fest in Etowah. The September 27 music festival is dedicated in memory of his father, also a musician who died in December 2006 after battling pancreatic cancer. Festival proceeds will be donated to pancreatic cancer research. Raper, who performs with his wife and two sons in the bluegrass group Reliance, said fighting the disease has become a priority for him because he feels it's taken aim at his family. His father-in-law also died of pancreatic cancer. Besides performing at the festival, Raper also will be distributing information about the illness.